Improvement in harness



F. D. THURMAN.

Harness.

No. 215,693. Patent ed May 20,1879.

WITNESSES I VENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

MPETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES P T T OFFICE.

FENDAL 1). THURMAN, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,693, dated May 20,1879; application filed March 29, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern;

Be it known that I, Dr. FENDAL D. THUR- MAN, of Atlanta, in the countyof Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and ImprovedHarness; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification in which-Figure l is a side View, showing the application of the harness to thehorse. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the yoke. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theends of the shafts. Fig. 4 is a crosssection through the shafts at lineam of Fig. 3.

The object of my invention is 'to provide a simplfied form of harnessfor connecting a horse or other team with a carriage or wagon; and tothis end it consists in a rigid yoke, open at the bottom and closed orbent over at the top, combined with the shafts, having suitabletug-connection, and a girth or belly-band for holding the yoke andshafts down to their places, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A A represent the shafts, to which, near their forwardends, are attached the inflexible tugs B B, consisting of metal rods orbars, fastened to the shafts by screws or bolts a a, which bars areextended forward and at a slight elevation above the shafts, andterminate in downwardly curved hooks b b. O is the yoke, which is maderigid and with a continuous bend at the top, adapted to lit over theanimals neck, and projecting downwardly in the shape of two branchesupon opposite sides of the neck, which branches are entirelydisconnected at their lower ends, so as to leave an open space, whichpermits the yoke to be placed directly across the animals neck. Uponboth sides of the yoke are securely attached metal eyes 0 c, which areadapted to receive the hooks of the tugs, and which constitute a looseconnection between the yoke and tugs for sustaining the shafts andapplying the draft.

For preventing the shafts from rising and disconnecting the tugs fromthe yoke a bellyband or girth, D, is employed. For connecting thebelly-band to the shafts no buckles are used; but a metal loop, d, isaffixed to the shaft upon each side, at a point where the tugs arefastened, and said loops are provided with studs 0. In securing thebelly band to these loops the studs are made to project through holes inthe ends of the belly-band, and the said ends of the band are thenextended down through the loops. To this band or upper end of the yokeare attached the check-rein hook f and forked rein-guide g.

The chief merit of the harness as thus described is its extremesimplicity, and the ease and rapidity with which it can be applied orremoved.

To harness up the horse, it is only necessary to apply the yoke, placethe animal between the shafts, couple the yoke to the tugs, and adjustthe belly-band, all other parts of the ordinary harness being dispensedwith, and the inflexible tugs serving both to sustain the shafts, drawthe vehicle, or back the same.

The attachment for the belly-band, it will be seen, is in keeping withthe simplicity of the other parts, since the time and trouble ofbuckling and unbuckling are dispensed with and a simpler means offastening provided.

WVith this arrangement one half minute is all the time required forharnessing up the horse, and half of this time is sufficient forunharnessing.

For double team the shafts may be adjusted wider apart, and a tongueprovided with two tugs and loops (one for each horse) may be placedcetrally between the shaft-s, so as to form two spaces to receive thedouble team.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new isl. A harnesscomposed of a rigid collar or yoke, open at the bottom and closed at thetop, combined with the rigid tugs B, secured to the shafts, and abelly-band, also attached to the shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the belly-band, of the loops (7, provided withstuds 0, whereby the belly band is attached to the shafts, substantiallyas described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 28th day ofMarch, 1879.

F. D. THURMAN.

Witnesses:

EDW. W. BYRN, SoLoN O. KEMoN.

